The cause and consequences of child abuse (Research Paper Sample)

The Reason And Consequences of Child Abuse Name Institution Course Professor’s name Date Abstract Child abuse cases are rising day by day in society making it a complex issue. There are several ways in which child abuse may occur which include: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or through neglect. Physical abuse occurs through physical aggression such as; beating, choking, hair pulling and burning with cigarettes. Sexual abuse is any sexual act engaged between an adult and a minor, like, penetration, oral sex, sodomy, or rape. Emotional abuse involves activities that interfere with a child's mental health such as bad attitude and behavior towards a child. Child neglect is another form of abuse where one where is neglected either physically by being denied basic needs or emotionally by not being shown parental love and affection ( Avdibegovi & Brki, 2020). The cause and consequences of child abuse Reasons of child abuse Isolation and lack of support from friends, family, or partner Being lonely is very mind interfering and one can forget whether this is their child that needs all the love in the world and end up abusing them. Single parenting can also be very difficult as you are being depended on by your child in terms of everything without anyone supporting you, especially your partner. Sometimes this rage and emotion may be demonstrated to the child and end up abusing them even without the intention of so doing. Unrealistic expectations Some parents lack the understanding that a child is unable to do certain things because they are still in development. A good example is a parent telling a 7- year old child that he or she needs to carry a 70 kg bag of cement. This is physically abusing the child as with their ability this is so unrealistic. Parents who do this are bound by factors such as culture that a child needs to do specific things to meet the parent's expectations. Parents should consider being realistic in order not to affect their children especially physically. Stress factors As a parent or a guardian is going through stress from a job, financial problems, or even medical problems they are unable to think clearly and end up shouting at or slapping a child. Parents should know when they are stressed and control it in order not to affect their children. Lack of education Education plays an important role in society by equipping parents with certain skills and knowledge for living with a child. Lack of knowledge may lead to poor or inappropriate parenting skills ending up abusing the child. Some parents believe by harsh punishments or excessive force will 'streamline' the child as it goes by sparing the road to spoil the child. One should punish a child as a child, not like an adult. Mental illness Parents that suffer from untreated mental health like depression find it hard to cope with stress and end up abusing their children. Parents with such conditions should consider getting effective medical treatment so as not to affect their children. Abuse history Parents that have abuse experiences may have a hard time managing their emotions as they tend to adopt similar abusive parenting techniques. As they apply these abusive techniques they affect the child in one way or the other. Parents who have previously been abused should consider talking to a counselor to heal from emotions that bring up bad parenting. Drug and substance abuse Drugs or alcohol are addictive and impair parent's judgment and self-control leading to abusive behavior toward children. Statics shows that 35% of street children that run away were abused by their parents while under the influence. Consequences of child abuse Physical injuries: Physical abuse can result in instantaneous wounds including bruises, fractured bones, burns, and internal wounds. Sometimes deaths may occur or permanent impairment that this child would always remember. Psychological effects and mental health disorders: children that have endured abuse tend to develop despair and anxiety. They feel a sense of helpless since most children have no one to talk to as they are scared (Strathearn et al., 2020). Behavioral changes: Abused children may display behavioral difficulties such as violence, withdrawal, self-harm, substance abuse, and delinquency. Additionally, they could have issues with impulse control and building healthy relationships. Learning problems including poor language and academic challenges can result from child abuse, which can impair a kid's cognitive development. Alcohol and other drug use. Adults who had been abused as children are at a significantly higher risk of substance use disorders than adults who have not been abused. T...